Pipe coupling



March 4, 1947. P. E. THOMAS 2,416,967

PIPE COUPLING Filed May 8, 1945 Patented Mar. 4, 1947 PIPE COUPLINGPercival Edward Thomas, Worcester Park, England, assignor to SterlingIndustries Limited, London, England, a British company Application May8, 1945, Serial No. 592,563 In Great Britain June 12, 1944 Thisinvention relates to improvements inrpipe couplings and has for itsobject to provide an improved construction of pipe coupling that is selfsealing at the terminals of both pipes against egress of the fluidcarried on disconnection, but on recoupling the sealing devices aredisplaced to admit of fluid flow. The self sealing devices areconstituted by spring loaded mobile valves, one in each coupling part,and which operate to seal in absence of mutual contact.

A further object of the invention is to reduce to a minimum theinclusion of air on recoupling and also to provide the minimum ofimpedance to fluid flow within the coupling parts when in theirconnected state.

In application the coupling parts may be disposed each on separate pipeterminals, or one coupling part connected to a fluid containing tankreservoir or the like and the counterpart coupling on pipe terminalconnected thereto.

Further, the pipe connecting devices forming part of the coupling may beof a type for application to metallic conduits, or for application toflexible or like non-rigid pipes. In either form the separate couplingparts are allowed to be drawn together by a screwed union nut of normaltype, or the mechanical equivalent thereof.

The invention consists in a self sealing bipart pipe couplingcharacterised by means wherein each said part has a resiliently mountedmobile valve member and a stationary valve seating or seatings, saidmobile valve member of each part being arranged to engage its ownseating on disconnection but disengage therefrom on coupling and engagethe stationary seating of its counterpart.

According to the invention a pipe coupling of the type above referred tois further characterised by annular packing devices, combined with avalve, that are reinforced in a plane parallel to the abutting surfacesof the respective valve parts, but have a resilient circumferential lipor lips, whereby the said combined valve and packing retains thecoupling free from leakage in either its connected or disconnectedstate, and

tight to both high and low pressures or vacuum irrespective as towhether the pressure or vacuum exist on the one or the other side of thepart sealed.

In construction and according to the invention the two parts of thecoupling, herein referred to for the sake of distinction as spigot partA' 2 by oil or hydrocarbon spirit such as synthetic resin or rubber andthe pressure spreading rein-- forcing devices may be employed when thereis a tendency for the flexible facing to spew under the continuousthrust of the contact compelling springs. The sealing valves of bothcoupling parts are arranged to be axially mobile and flexible enough intheir construction to acommo- .date small inaccuracies in the plane ofengagement with their seatings. The parts A and B of the coupling may bedrawn together by a union cramp nut or kindred device and during theoperation of coupling the flat valve surfaces .of each part are causedto first abut, and with their seatings when so abutting the unioncramping device is threaded home to lock the parts to- I gether. In thismanner there is no imprisoned air to enter the fluid system on coupling,and fluid flow from interconnection only commences when the union nut issufficiently threaded to prevent fluid loss,

'In order that the invention may .be more fully understood reference ismade to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred constructionalform is illustrated and wherein- Fig. l is a part sectional elevationof. the coupling in its operative condition for fluid flow.

Fig. .2 is a like view as .Fig. :1 but the coupling parts are shewn inan uncoupled condition and both pipe terminals sealed.

Fig. 3 shews to an enlarged .scale a fragmentary section of the packingdevice.

Fig, 4 shews in like manner to Fig. 3 a modifled form of the saidpacking device.

Referring to the drawings and to Fig. l, the lower coupling part A,shewn as mounted on a flexible pipe I, is drawn by union cramp nut 2into operative position in relation to coupling part B, the latter asshewn being a fixed entity secured to .a bulkhead 3. The coupling part Ais a hollow body having ground seating faces 4 and Lia, acircumferential flange 5, an off set shoulder 6, and a threaded shoulderI and a segmentally curved skirt 8", adapted to grip the substance ofthe-flexible pipe 1, against the support of a headed spigot tube '9, thehead ill being screwed to engage the threaded shoulder 1. Disposedbetween the head in of spigot 9 and the shoulder 6 isv the peripheralring of the spider l2. The spider L2 carries a spring seating andaligning cup .13 perforate at M, said cup housing spring 15, the lattertaking an abutment against the underside of the mobile valve body 15,the latter being guided in its movement by the walls of cup iii. Thesaid valve I6 is provided with a facing ring 47, the latter being lockedin position by a disc t8 screwed to thevalve body head It or the ring 11sprung into a groove, the disc iB-being in such case integral with thebody of valve [6. The valve facing ring I! is preferably resilient andmade from a vulcanised oil resisting synthetic rubber; said valve facecontacts, in position shewn in Fig. 1, with the ground faced seating 20of cup seating 3| of coupling part B, and in the position shewn in Fig.2 with the under face 4a of the housing of coupling part A within whichpart said valve is fitted.

The coupling part B, see Fig. 1, is formed of two parts 26 and 26a. Part23a consists of a flanged bulkhead spigot 22 externally threaded at 23for a known type of pipe extension coupling (not shewn) and has a springsocket 24, and a boss 25 screwed externally. The coupling body 26 isthreaded toengage the boss 25, a packing 2'! intervening to make a fluidtight joint. If high fluid pressure is employed the threads may bediscontinued at the base of the screwed connection 25, and the partsspun together. The body 26 has an internally flanged skirt and valveseating 23 operating as a limiting stop by engaging flange of part Awhen operatively assembled.

Integral with the body part 26a is a spider 23 carrying a perforate boss30 within which latter is fixedly mounted the cup seating 3!, the ground4 system. When uncoupled as shewn in the upper part of Fig. 2 the springguide 32 underthe force of the spring 34 forces the cup Washer valve 33into contact with the valve seatings 23 and 3 la, thus sealing thecoupling thereby maintaining the fluid in the pipe and coupling Bwithout I ponent parts A and B locked together in operaface of which isadapted to engage the face ll. of

valve IS. A flanged valve spring guide 3'2 is mounted concentrically ofthe couplings vertical aXis, and is adapted to bear upon the upper faceof valve and packing member 33, or a metal annulus ring 35, and act asabutment for spring .34, the upper abutment for said spring being therecess 24 in part 26a. The annulus ring 35 may be incorporated in thematerial of the valve and packing member 33 or superficially applied,and details of this device are further illustrated to an enlarged scalein Figs. 3 and 4.

The valve and packing member 33 consists in the form shewn in Fig. 1, ofmetallic annular part 35 having a perforate centre, and coated on eitherside with a resilient synthetic resin or rubber material 36, saidcoating material being selected according to the nature of the fluidpassing in the pipe to be coupled, and is preferably of a nature notaffected by oil or hydrocarbon spirit. The rigid metallic annulus 35 isshewn embedded in the resilient material 33 in Figs, 1 and 4 oralternatively the reinforcing material may be exposed and have itsresilient coating on one side or as shewn in Fig. 3.

. to engage the inner wall of the cylindrical housing 26.

In order to effect a definite seal against leakage through vacuum orpressure external of the tive engagement by the union cramp nut 2.

When coupling takes place the'seating 4 of coupling body A engages theunderside of valve member 33, simultaneously valve face I! of valve part:6 engages the seating 23 of cup seating 3|. A few turns of the nut 2now causes the respective valves 33 of part B and 16 of part Alto leavetheir contact with their respective seatings 2B and 36a in the case ofpartB and 4a in respect of partA. This allows fluid to commence to flowthrough the coupling, and when the cramp nut 2 reaches the end of itspermitted travel by forcing flange 5 of part A into contact with theinner flange of 23 part B .the operation is complete, and the respectivecouplin'gparts A and B appear as shewn in Fig. 1.

In order to achieve immunity from air inclusion at breaking of thecoupling or on recouplingthe inverted cup shaped cavity of, part 3| maybe closed with a diaphragm indicated by dotted lines at 311) in Fig. 2or if weight be not a material factor the cavity may be dispensed withand the part 3| made solid to the valve seating 20.

I claim: 1

In a self-sealing coupling including a projecting part, a socket partand means for draw ing said parts together in telescoping relationship,the improvements that comprise a spring urged valve member in saidprojecting part, said valve member being provided with ajresilient face,a double faced fixed seat in saidprojecting coupling part B the valveandpacking member 33 may be made in the form shewn in Figs. 3 and 4,wherein the underpart has a lipped cup 39 formed integrally with theresilient material enabling same also to engage the wall of thecylindrical part 25. This combined valve and pack part, the resilientface of said valve member normally bearing against the under face ofsaid seat to seal said projecting part in'its uncoupled position, afixed valve member in said socket part adapted to engage and depresssaid'spring urged valve member when the parts are drawn together intelescoping relationship, and a spring urged, hollow cylindricalvalveseat in said socket part having a resilient face at its lower edge,said socket part having an internal flange, said face of said springurged valve seat normally bearing. on the upper face of said fixed valvemember and said flange to seal said socket part in its uncoupledposition, the upper face of. said fixed seat bearing against theresilient face of and displacing said spring urged seat-when the partsare drawn together in telescopingrelationship, the abutting relationshipof the fixed seat and the spring urged seat defining a seal for anannular passageway around said valve members. i

PERCIVAL EDWARD THOMAS.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: 1 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,319,015 Speth Mayll, 19432,311,239 Main et al. Feb. 16, 1943v

